Switch-actuating mechanism.



No. 734,259. PATENTBD' JULY 21, 1903. J. H. FITCH.

SWITCH AOTUAT'I'NG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILEDPBB. 16, 1903. NO MODEL. zsnnms-snnncr 1.

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PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

J. H'. FITCH. SWITCH AGTUA'I'ING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION 21mm mm. 16;1903.

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44 A rromvsr LII UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. FITCH, OF LUDINGTON, MICHIGAN.

-SWlTCH-ACTUATIN'G M EC H ANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 734,259, dated July 21, 1903.

7 Application filed February 16, 1903. Serial No. 143,473. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known'that I, JOHN H. FITCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ludington, county of Mason, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switch-Actuating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, ref-. erence being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object novel switchactuating mechanism; and it consists of the construction, combination, and arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation. showing my invention applied to a street car. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section showing parts in side elevation, illustrating my inven-' tion. Fig. 3 is a plan View, the body of the car being removed, illustrating my invention. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing parts broken away, illustrating features of my invention. Fig. 5 is a view in cross-section on the line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the housing '10 and related parts.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a switch-actuating mechanism more particularly designed and adapted for employment on street-railways, although I do not limit myself solely thereto, and by which the switch may be shifted as may be desired in a ready, simple, and efficient manner by apparatus actuated by the driver or motorman upon the car.

I carry out my present'invention as follows:

In the drawings, a represents the car, and b the trucks.

0 represents the track-rails, and (l a switch to be actuated.

My improved mechanism embodies a shaft 6, secured in any suitable manner to the frame f of the trucksas, for example, by clips Mounted loosely upon said shaft are arms h h. Upon said shaft is also engaged a stop device, (indicated at t',) said device being preferably adjustable upon the shaft and may be rigidly secured thereto in any given position of adjustment in any suitable manner, as by a set-screw The forward end of said device preferably projects forward and in under the arms h h and limits the downward movement of said arms. The arms h h are provided, respectively, with wheels is k, which are lifted and-depressed obviously as said arms are raised or lowered. A housing is indicated at Z, in which is fulcrumed a trip-lever 112, said lever formed with a he ad extended transversely of the track, as shown, and fulcrumed, preferably, intermediate the ends of the head of the lever, as indicated at n. The housing is formed with an elongated opening in the top thereof, (indicated at 19,) through which the extremities of the head of the lever may alternately project as said lever is rocked back and fortlniwhereby one end of said lever may be elevated a little distance above the upper surfaces of the housing. The wheels is k are so located and arranged as when in depressed position one or the other of them to ride over said housing and over the upwardlyprojecting end of the head of the trip-lever. It will be evident that by securing the shaft 6 upon the frame of the trucks and by securing the stop 2' rigidly upon the shaft said stop will always be in a given position of adjustment, whether the car is loaded or not. Suitable springs q q serve to hold the respective arms 71. it normally in an upward position. Collars r r are provided adjustable upon the shaft 6 to secure a desired tension of the respective springs, said collars being secured in an adjusted position by set-screws s s. The arms h h may be made in any desired lengths to fit any car to which they may be applied. The housing Z is preferably provided with lugs 25, which are intended to rest'upon the railwayties u u. The lower end of the rocking lever m is connected by a rod '0' to the switch-point d to actuate said switch-point.

Underneath the car-body I locate a plate or housing w, (shown in detail in Fig. 6,) said housing being provided with a double pawl 00, a spring tension upon the pawl being secured by a spring y. The housing is provided with elongated orifices, (indicated at z z,) through which project foot-levers, (indicated by the numerals? 7,) which may be toothed, as indicated at S, for the engagement of the opposite ends of the pawl 00 therewith. The foot-levers are jointedly connected at their lower ends, as

indicated at 9 9, with the levers h h and are so constructed and arranged that when one of said foot-levers is depressed it disengages and shifts the other foot-lever, raising the opposite lever. If both foot levers were wanted in an upper position, by pressing the upper one a little it loosens the opposite lever. This housing w may be secured in any suitable manner under the car-floor, Fig. 6 showing the same ready to be placed against the car-floor.

It is evident that the levers h h can be set by the manipulation of the foot-levers 7 7 before the motorman gets to the switch, so as to turn it in any desired direction.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking lever oscillatory in a vertical plane having a laterally-elon gated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switch-point, a housing for said lever above which the extremities of said head may alternately project, vertically-oscillatory arms, wheels carried by said arms respectively to contact with the upper surface of either end of the head of the rocking lever at the will of the operator, and means carried by a moving car to alternately actuate said arms at the will of the operator, whereby one of said arms will be elevated as the other arm is depressed.

2. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking lever having a laterally-elongated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switch-point, a housing for said lever above which the opposite extremities of the head may alternately project, a shaft carried by the truck-frame of a moving car, verticallyoscillatory arms sleeved at their rear extremities upon said shaft, contact devices carried by said arms intermediate their ends to 0011- tact with the rocking lever, and means carried by a moving car connected with the forward ends of said arms to actuate said oscillatory arms at the will of the operator.

3. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking leverhaving a laterally-elon gated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switch-point, a housing for said lever above which the opposite extremities of the head may alternately project, a shaft carried by the truck-frame of a moving car, verticallyoscillatory arms sleeved upon said shaft, contact devices carried by said arms to contact with the rocking lever, and means carried by a moving car to actuate said oscillatory arms at the will of the operator, and a stop device to regulate the downward movement of said arms.

l. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking lever oscillatory in a vertical plane having a laterally-elongated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switchpoint, a housing for said lever above which the extremities of said head may alternately project, vertically-oscillatory arms, wheels carried by said arms respectively to contact with either end of the head of the rocking lever at the will of the operator, means carried by a moving car to actuate said arms and springs to restore said arms to normal position when free to move.

5. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking lever having a laterally-elongated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switch-point, a housing for said lever above which the opposite extremities of the head may alternately project, a shaft carried by the truck-frame of a moving car, verticallyoscillatory arms sleeved upon said shaft, contact devices carried by said arms to contact with the rocking lever, means carried by a moving car to actuate said oscillatory arms at the will of the operator, and a stop device laterally adjustable upon said shaft.

6. In a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking lever having a laterally-elongated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switch-point, a housing for said lever through which opposite extremities of the said head may alternately project, foot-levers connected with the forward extremities of said arms, and mechanism carried by a car to alternately lock said foot-levers, said mechanism constructed to release one of said foot-levers when the other is depressed.

'7. I11 a switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-point of an actuating rocking lever having a laterally-elongated head, a rod connecting said lever with the switch-point, a housing for said lever through which opposite extremities of the said head may alternately project, foot-levers connected with the forward extremities of said arms, mechanism carried by a car to alternately lock said foot-levers, and a plate provided With a double pawl secured to a moving car through which the foot-levers project, said pawl arranged to alternately engage said foot-levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN II. FITCH.

Witnesses:

RICHARD J. FITCH, MICHAEL FITCH. 

